MacDowall targets Indy honours

Alex MacDowall says he is heading into his second World Touring Car Championship season with 'a real buzz' after a positive debut year in 2012.

MacDowall grabbed two Independent wins en-route to fifth place and top-Brit amongst the Independent drivers, while twelve top-ten finishes saw him take joint-tenth in the overall standings.

Speaking to Crash.net last week after a shakedown test at Rockingham, the Bamboo Engineering driver looked back at 2012, his debut season in the World Championship.

“I think for a first season, it went to plan,” he reflected. “My main aim was just to finish as many races as I could and stay out of trouble.”

The former BTCC SIlverline Chevrolet driver remembered the last time he raced which was at the prestigious Macau track, where he was thankfully unhurt in a huge shunt.

“It was the biggest impact I have ever had and could have easily injured me but somehow I escaped unhurt,” he said. “It will always be in my mind now when I get to Macau.”

The 22-year-old has been set one goal from Bamboo Engineering boss, Richard Coleman, to go out and win the Yokohama Trophy for Independents, something which the youngster was in contention for until the final two rounds of last season until DNF's and the Macau incident put pay to any chance of the trophy going to MacDowall and the Silverstone based team.

“There is a real buzz around the team this year and energy every time I meet up with them," he said. “We are in a very good car so there can only be one objective which is to win the independents championship and challenge for overall podiums."

For 2013 Alex is joined at Bamboo by former BTCC rival, James Nash, who joined the team in December from the ill-fated Team Aon Ford Focus of last season. He reckons James won't be match for him in the first few rounds, but is nevertheless raising his game in attempting to beat his similarly young but experienced team-mate.

“I think it might take him time to get used to the Cruze and how to set it up so hopefully I will have the edge in the first few rounds,” he said. “I think from the word go he will be quick and I will have to raise my game compared to last year which is an exciting challenge.

“I can improve on my race craft and standing starts. This is something I am working very hard as we speak to improve. Without admitting your weaknesses' you will never improve as I driver so I take it on the chin and get on with it.”